Reeling machine



July 22, 1969 E. LUCKE 3,456,890

REELING MACHINE Filed July 20, 1967 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 7

E. LUCKE REELING MACHINE July 22, 1969 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 20, 1967 m mil July 22, 1969 E. LUCKE 3,456,890

REELING MACHINE Filed July 20, 1967 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 E. LUCKE REELING MACHINE July 22, 1969 Filed July 20, 1967 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 "III WMMW\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ 7 Z July 22, 1969 E. LUCKE 3,456,890

' REELING MACHINE FiiedvJuly 20, 19s"! 7 Sheets-Sheet e United States Patent 3,456,890 REELING MACHINE Ernst Lucke, Mengen, Germany, assignor to Croon &

Lucke, Maschinenfabrik G.m.b.H., Mengen, Wurttemberg, Germany Filed July 20, 1967, Ser. No. 654,792 Claims priority, applicatiggr Girmany, July 28, 1966,

Int. Cl. B65l1 54/60, 75/24, 55/00 US. Cl. 242-53 13 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Background of the invention The present invention is concerned with an improvement of a reeling machine which has a pair of reels on which independently supplied strands are wound up to form annular skeins. Reeling machines of this type are provided with counters and tachometers which automatically stop the drivernotor of the machine when the skein has the desired number of windings.

It is known to provide reeling machines of this type with expansible and contractible reels which have a free accessible end so that the finished skein can be pulled off the reel in axial direction.

In accordance with the prior art, each skein has to be tied while still on the reel so that the windings cannot fall apart or entangle. This requires careful attention and if the skein is too tightly tied, the tied portions are not properly penetrated by the dye during .a following dyeing operation. Consequently, a comparatively long time is required for tying the skein during which the reel is not rotated and cannot be used for winding up a skein.

Summary of the invention It is one object of the invention to overcome this disadvantage, and to provide a reeling machine in which the skein can be tied after removal from a reel, and during rotation of the reel for forming another skein.

Another object of the invention is to provide a reeling machine in which by insertion of a skein removing means into one or several reels, wound up skeins are automatically transferred from the reel to the skein removing means which automatically transport the skein to a position where it can be tied.

Another object of the invention is to automatically start rotation of the reels for forming new skeins as soon as the previously wound skein has been removed from the respective reel.

With these objects in view, one embodiment of the present invention comprises at least one rotary reel which is expansible and contractible between a contracted condition and an expanded condition having a greater diameter, drive means for rotating the reel in the expanded Patented July 22, 1969 condition for winding up a strand to form an annular skein, operating means including an electric motor for contracting and expanding the reel, a skein removing carriage means having carrier means and being movable to and from an operative position in which the carrier means is located within the expanded reel carrying a wound skein, and control means engaged and actuated by the skein removing carriage means in the operative position to actuate the motor of the operating means to move the reel to the contracted condition. The carrier means are located above the contracted reel means so that the skein is deposited thereon, and removed from the reel when the carriage means move the carrier means away from the reel.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention the drive means of the reel or reels include a first electric motor, and the operating means for expanding and contracting the reel includes a second electric motor. The control means include a first switch in the circuit of the first motor for disconnecting the same and the second switch in the circuit of the second motor for stopping the same. The skein removing carriage engages and operates the first and second switches in the operative position so that the second motor contracts the reel as soon as the carrier means of the skein removing carriage are in the proper position to remove the skein.

When the skein removing carriage with the skein is moved out of the operating position, a reversing switch causes rotation of the second motor in the opposite direction so that the reel is again expanded and ready for the next winding operation which is automatically started by closing the first switch when the reel is fully expanded.

The skein removing carriage can be used for several reeling machines each of which may have two rotary reels so that while one machine is fully operative with two reels, the skeins are removed from two other reels of another machine.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

Brief description of the drawing FIG. 1 is a fragmentary schematic side view illustrating a reeling machine according to one embodiment in a winding condition;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary schematic plan view illustrating the embodiment of FIG. 1 in another operational position for removing skeins;

FIG. 2a is a fragmentary plan view illustrating a skein removing carriage;

FIG. 2b is a fragmentary schematic end view illustrating a reel and carrier rods of the skein removing carriage;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 1, partially in section along line III-III in FIG. 1;

FIGS. 4a and 4b are portions of a FIG. 4 which is a fragmentary axial sectional view of a reel used in the embodiment of FIG. 1, and including operating means for expanding and contracting the reel;

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagrammatic view illustrating transmission means, motors, and the electric circuit of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary side view taken in direction of the arrow A in FIG.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary schematic side view taken in the direction of the arrow B in FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary schematic side view taken in the direction of the arrow C in FIG. 5; and

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary schematic side view taken in the direction of the arrow D in FIG. 5.

Description of the preferred embodiment Referring now to the drawing, a supporting housing 1 envelops the transmissions, motors and electric circuits which are particularly illustrated in FIG. 5. Two parallel hollow shafts 8' and 8 project horizontally from the housing and are rotatable about parallel horizontal axes located in a horizontal plane. Expansible and collapsible linkages 3, 4 and 5 support a plurality, preferably six, support bars 7 which are parallel to the axis of the respective shaft 8' or 8". An axially movable Spindle 6' and 6", respectively, is mounted in each hollow shaft and has a portion connected with a strut 5 of a linkage so that linkages 4, 5 and 3, 4 can be expanded or contracted for moving the support bars 7 in radial direction toward and away from each other, and the diameter of each reel can be increased or reduced, since supporting bars 7 can be moved from the expanded position 7 to the closely spaced contracted position 7, as shown in FIG. 2b.

The mechanism is best seen in FIGS. 4a and 4b. Spindle 6 is mounted within the hollow shaft 8' which is mounted in schematically indicated bearings 9 and 10 in housing 1. The rear end of the spindle 6' has a threaded portion 17, meshing with a nut 18 which is mounted in a housing for rotation, but is prevented from axial movement. A gear or chain wheel 19 is secured to nut 18, so that the latter can be rotated for axially displacing spindle 6'. A ring 11 is rotatably mounted on the free forward end of spindle 6' and carries joint members 12 with which struts 5 are pivotally connected. Struts 4 are pivotally connected to joint members 13 and 1-4, and struts 3 are pivotally connected to joint members 15 which are secured to a hollow sleeve on shaft 8. The struts are schematically indicated in FIG. 2 and FIG. 4a, and since they are connected at pivot points 16 to the support bars 7, and since joint member 15 is arranged slidable on sleeve 13a, a motion is transmitted by support bars 7 from the axially movable ring 11 with joint members 12 and struts 5 to struts 3 and 4 so that by operation of spindle 6', or 6", the respective reel is expanded or contracted, depending on the direction of axial movement of the respective spindle 6' or 6".

A chain wheel 21 is secured to shafts 8' and 8", and when chain wheel 21 is rotated by a motor, shaft 8 rotates with the linkages 3 to 4 and support bars 7, constituting a reel means on which a strand 29 can be wound to form a skein. During such rotation of shaft 8' or 8", nut 18 does not rotate so that spindle 6' or 6" is not axially moved. Correspondingly, when nut 18 is rotated by chain wheel 19, shaft 8' or 8" does not rotate. Expansible and collapsible reels, as described above, are known and not a specific object of the invention.

FIG. 1 illustrates supporting means 22 carrying guide rollers 23, 24 and a stop motion guide 25 which stops the machine when the strand 29 breaks. As shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of bobbins 26 is provided for supplying the yarn to the two reels. A member 28 provided with crossing helical grooves guides the yarn 29 to travel in axial direction of the respective reel during rotation of the latter so that a uniform skein is wound on the reel formed by support bars 7.

A substantially horizontal frame 30, which may consist of steel tubing, surrounds the two reels and is mounted in bearings 31, 32 on housing 1 for limited pivotal movement about a horizontal axis. The downward movement of frame is blocked by a lever 33 abutting a fixed abutment 34, and the same lever may abut a stop, not shown, limiting upwards turning movement of frame 30 in clockwise direction directly after a projection 35 has engaged the actuator arm of a switch 36, which is connected into the circuit of the drive motor 48 by which shafts 8 and 8" and the two reels are rotated, as will be explained hereinafter with reference to FIG. 5.

The lower portion of housing 1 is provided with two substantially triangular guide members 37a and 37b as shown in FIG. 3. The confronting portions of guide members 37a and 37b form a guideway having a width x.

A skein removing carriage 38 has a horizontal T-shaped bottom frame including a guide bar 38 fitting into the guideway between guide members 37a and 37b, and a transverse bar 38b. Rollers 39 are secured to the bottom frame which carries on bar 38b a U-shaped bail 39 located in a vertical plane and having a horizontal yoke portion 39a. A bent rod 40 has one end secured to the center of yoke portion 39a, and another end secured to the end of guide bar 380. Rod 40 is located in a vertical plane perpendicular to the plane of bail 39 and has a horizontal top portion 40a, an inclined portion 40b, and a vertical portion 400.

A horizontal bar 39b extends between the leg portions of bail 39 and supports four horizontal carrier rods 41, 42, 43, 44, as best seen in FIGS. 1 and 2a which illusstrate the skein removing carriage 38 in an inoperative position spaced from the reels. In FIG. 2, skein removing carriage 38 is shown in an operative position in which guide bar 38a is inserted and guided between guide members 37a and 37b, see FIG. 3, and in which pairs 41, 42 and 43, 44 of carrier rods are located within the reels, or more particularly within the polygonal outline formed by supporting bars 7 on which a skein 47 has been wound, as shown in FIG. 2b. Carrier rods 41 and 42 are equidistant from a line of symmetry Z which is located in a vertical plane passing through the axis of rotation of the respective reel and hollow shaft '8'. FIG. 2b also shows the inner positions of support bars 7 in which the reel is contracted due to operation of the respective spindle 6'. In the contracted condition, the radius of the reel is r, and in the expanded condition, the radius of the reel is R.

When a pair of carrier rods is inserted into a reel, they are located below the uppermost support bars 7x and 7y and outwardly of the same. The arrangement of the support bars 7 is such that the uppermost bars 7x and 7y are located in a horizontal plane. When the respective reel is contracted even the highest support bars 7x and 7y move to a position located below the carrier rods 41 and 42 so that the slack skein 47' is deposited on carrier rods 41 and 42 and rests on the same.

When the skein removing carriage is now moved from the position shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 2b, to the position shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2a, the skein taken from one reel is removed by carrier rods 41, 42, and the skein taken from the other reel is removed by carrier rods 43, 44 so that the skeins can be tied while suspended on the carrier rods of the skein removing carriage in the inoperative position shown in FIG. 1.

It is necessary that the reels do not rotate, and are fully expanded when the carrier rods 41 to 44 are inserted into the same. When the insertion has been completed, it is necessary to contract the reels so that the skeins are deposited on the carrier rods. When the skein removing carriage has been moved to a position in which carrier rods 41 to 44 are no longer located in the region of the reels, the reels can be again expanded to be ready for the next winding operation which is automatically started so that other skeins can be wound while the skeins on the skein removing carriage are being tied.

When the skein removing carriage is moved from the position of FIG. 1 toward the reels, the slanted cam portion 40b engages roller 46 on frame 30 and turns the same during further movement of the carriage in clockwise direction until projection operates switch 36. During further movement of the carriage, roller 46 runs on the horizontal portion a and frame 30 and switch 36 remains in the actuated position. The carrier rods 41 to 44 have a length corresponding to the length of the horizontal portion 40a so that the carrier rods enter the reels only after switch 36 has been operated and has stopped the drive motor 48 from which the reels are driven.

When carriage 38 has been moved to its operative position in which the carrier rods 4144 are located in the two reels, the free end of guide rod 38 engages the actuator arm of a switch 45 and operates the same. Switch 45 controls a motor 67, see FIG. 5, so that the same is started and effects contraction of the two reels so that support rods 7 moving to the inner position 7' deposit the skeins 47' on carrier rods 41, 42, and 43, 44.

When carriage 38 is moved to the left as viewed in the drawing to the position of FIG. 1, with the skeins suspended thereon, roller 46 first moves on the horizontal plane portion 40a and then over the slanted portion 40b to the normal horizontal position shown in FIG. 1, so that switch 36 is released by projection 35. Since switch 36 is connected into the circuit of the drive motor 48 of the reels, rotation of the reels can be again started. Switch 36 has also contacts located in the circuit of motor 67 so that the reels can be again expanded. When carriage 38 is moved out of the operative position, and releases switch 45, motor 67 can be actually started and the counters and tachometers are also connected in the circuit as will be explained with reference to FIG. 5, so that when the carriage 38 is in the inoperative position of FIG. 1, the reels are automatically expanded to maximum diameter 2R whereupon rotation of the reels begins so that two other skeins can be wound until the counters indicate the completion of the skeins and stop the rotation of the reels. In this condition, the skein removing carriage can again be moved to the operative position shown in FIG. 2.

Refering now to FIGS. 5 to 9, the drive motor 48 drives a pulley 50 over a V-belt 49 and rotates transmission shaft 51 which drives another transmission shaft 54 over a belt transmission including pulleys 52 on shaft 51, and 55 on shaft 54 and a guide pulley 53. Transmission shafts 51 and 54 are mounted in bearings 56, 57 and 58, 59 in housing 1. Reel shafts 8', 8" are mounted in bearings 9, 10 and 9", 10" and are driven by transmission shafts 51 and 54 over chain transmissions 59, 21' and 60, 21". The left end portions of shafts 8 and 8" which support the reels, are omitted in FIG. 5 for the sake of simplicity and are clearly shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

A chain wheel 61 on reel shaft 8' drives a counter 63 and a tachometer 64 by means of belts passing over pulleys 62 and pulleys 63a and 64a, as best seen in FIG. 6. The counters have a dial, not shown, behind a window of housing 1.

The yarn guiding members 28, see FIG. 1, are rotated from chain wheel 65 on transmission shaft 51 and chain wheel 66 on transmission shaft 54, as shown in FIG. 8. The reversible motor 67 has a chain wheel 67 connected by an endless chain 69 with the chain wheels 19" and 19" on the nuts 18 by which spindles 6' and 6" are moved in axial direction to expand or contract the reels, depending on the direction of rotation of motor 67.

A rod 71 receives the ends of spindles 6', 6" for rotation, and moves in axial directionwith the same. When the maximum diameter of the reel is obtained by operation of motor 67, a bracket 72a on rod 71 moving to the right as viewed in FIG. 5, engages actuator arm 73a of a switch 73 with a, bent abutment 72 so that motor 67 is disconnected from the voltage and stops. On the other hand, if the smallest diameter of the reels is obtained, abutment 72 moving in the opposite direction engages actuator arm 74a of switch 74 and stops the motor. Switches 73 and 74 are mounted for movement toward and away from each other on a guide rod 75, and the distance between the actuator arms 73!: and 74!! can be adjusted by rotating by means of knob 76a, a threaded spindle 76 engaging threaded bores in the housings of switches 74 and 73. As also shown in FIG. 5, switch 36 has a first pair of contacts in the circuit of drive motor 48, and a second pair of contacts located in the circuit of reversing motor 67. A voltage source V is connected to both motors. Switch 45 is also connected to reversing motor 67 and to the voltage source.

When the skein removing carriage 38 is moved to the operative position shown in FIG. 2, first switch 36 is operated so that the same interrupts the circuit of motor 48. While motor 48 is already stopped due to control by the counters when a skein is fully wound, the respective contacts of switch 36 increase the safety of the operation since it is not possible to start a drive motor 48 in any manner as long as the skein removing carriage is being operated. The reels are automatically stopped in the position of FIG. 2b in which the two uppermost support rods 7x and 7y are located in a horizontal plane permitting the safe insertion of the respective carrier rods 41, 42 or 43, 44 into the skein 47.

When the carriage is fully inserted, switch 45 is operated and starts motor 67 to rotate in such a direction as to reduce the diameter of the reels until abutment 72 engages switch arm 74a and stops motor 67 by opening switch 74. Switch 45 has a second pair of contacts connected to the counters 63 of FIG. 6 so that the same are disconnected from the voltage when the carriage 37 operates switch 45.

When the reels are fully contracted by rotation of nuts 18 and axial movement of spindle 6' and 6" the skeins are removed from the reels and deposited on the carrier rods 41 to 44 for removal with carriage 38 to the position shown in FIG. 1.

During such movement of the carriage 38 to the left as viewed in FIG. 2, guide member 38a releases switch 45 which returns to its normal position of rest so that first the counter 63 is connected into the circuit of the voltage source and also motor 67 is connected into the circuit. When carriage 38 is sufilciently retracted to release roller 46, switch 36 returns to its initial position and connects motor 48 into the circuit while starting motor 67 in reversed direction of rotation so that the reels are again expanded until spindles 6', 6" have moved rod 71 and abutment 72 to a position operating actuator arm 73a of switch 73 which stops motor 67 A second pair of contacts on switch 73 starts motor 48 overline 48a so that rotation of the reels is again started and new skeins are wound until the counters 63 indicate a sufiicient number of windings and disconnect motor 48 in a manner which is known and not illustrated.

From the above description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is apparent that the reel means 8',

3 to 5, and 7 are expanded and contracted by operating means including spindles 6', 6", nuts 18, chain wheels and 19", transmission means and motor 67. Control means including switches 36 and 45 operated by the skein removing means 38 actuate the operating means, particularly motor 67, to move the reel means from the expanded condition to the contracted condition. The control means also include switches 73 and 74, which are responsive to the movement of the operating means particularly spindles 6, 6" to stop motor 67 when the reels have been completely contracted or fully expanded. A contact of control switch 73 starts the drive means including motor 48 when the reels are fully expanded.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of reeling machines, differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a skein removing carriage controlling the operations of the reeling machine during removal of a wound up skein, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims:

1. Reeling machine comprising, in combination, at least one rotary reel means having an axis of rotation and being expansible and contractible between a contracted condition having a small diameter and an expanded condition having a greater diameter; drive means for rotating said reel means in said expanded condition for winding up a strand to form an annular skein having said greater diameter; operating means for moving said reel means between said contracted and expanded conditions; skein removing means having car-rier means and movable in the direction of said axis between an inoperative position spaced from said reel means, and an operative position in which said carrier means is located within a wound skein and said reel means in said expanded condition; and above said reel means in said contracted condition; and control means engaged and actuated by said skein removing means in said operative position to actuate said operating means to move said reel means from said expanded condition to said contracted condition so that the skein is deposited on said carrier means, and removed from said reel means when said skein removing means is moved to said inoperative position.

2. Reeling machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said control means have a part operatively connected with said drive means to stop the same and thereby rotation of said reel means when said skein removing means is moved toward said operative position and engages said part.

3. Reeling machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said control means actuates said operating means to move said reel means from said contracted condition to said expanded condition when said skein removing means moves out of said operative position toward said inoperative position and releases said control means.

4. Reeling machine as claimed in claim 3 wherein said operating means are operatively connected with said drive means to start the same when said reel means has been moved to said operative expanded position.

5. Reeling machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said drive means include a first electric motor; wherein said operating means include a second electric motor; wherein said control means include first switch means in the circuit of said first motor for disconnecting the same when said first switch means in engaged and operated by said skein removing means in an intermediate position before arriving in said operative position, and second switch means in the circuit of said second motor for starting the same when engaged by said skein removing means in said operative position so that said second motor moves said reel means from said expanded condition to said contracted condition.

6. Reeling machine as claimed in claim 5 wherein said first switch means includes an actuator frame; comprising means mounting on said actuator frame for pivotal movement between a normal position and an actuated position for operating said first switch means; said actuator frame extending around said reel means and having a portion located between said skein removing means in said inoperative position and said reel means; and wherein said skein removing carriage has a cam portion for engaging said portion and pivoting said actuator frame in said intermediate position for operating said first switch means.

7. Reeling machine as claimed in claim 6 wherein said skein removing means includes a T -shaped bottom frame having a central guide member and a transverse portion a Ushaped bail mounted on said transverse portion in a first vertical plane, an actuating portion having said cam portion and mounted on said bail and on said guide member located in a second vertical plane perpendicular to said first vertical plane, and two pairs of horizontal carrier rods mounted on said bail parallel with said guide member; and comprising another reel means having an axis parallel to said axis of said reel means and being movable by said operating means between a contracted and an expanded condition; and guide means on said reeling machine for guiding said guide member on said skein removing means during movement to and from said operative position; and wherein said pairs of carrier rods are respectively located in said two reel means in said expanded condition when said skein removing means is located in said operative position.

8. Reeling machine as claimed in claim 5 and including third switch means in the circuit of said first and second motors operated by said operating means when said reel means in said expanded condition so that said third switch means stops said second motor and starts said first motor and thereby rotation of said reel means.

9. Reeling machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said reel means comprises a shaft, radially expandible contractible linkage means mounted on said shaft, and a plurality of support bars extending in parallel to said axis and connected to said linkage and moving with the same toward and away from each other, said plurality of support bars being farther spaced in expanded condition, and closer spaced in said contracted condition of said reel means and adapted to support said skein in said expanded condition; and wherein said operating means are connected with said linkage means for expanding and cont racting the same so that said support bars are moved away from and toward each other.

10. Reeling machine as claimed in claim 9 wherein said shaft is hollow; wherein said operating means include a threaded spindle located in said hollow shaft and connected to said linkage means for expanding and contracting the same during axial movement of said spindle in said hollow shaft, a nut means on said threaded spindle, and a motor for rotating said nut means in opposite directions for axially moving said spindle; and wherein said control means include switch means located in the circuit of said motor and being operated by said skein removing means in said operative position to move said spindle in one direction to contract said reel means, and being operated by said skein removing means moving out of said operative position to reverse said motor to move said spindle in the opposite direction so that said reel means is expanded.

11. Reeling machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said skein removing means includes a supporting frame guided for horizontal movement toward and away from said reel means and at least one pair of horizontal carrier rods; wherein said reel means has a horizontal axis and comprises a plurality of peripheral support bars extending in axial direction and being movable toward and away from each other by said operating means; and wherein said carrier rods are located below the uppermost support bars in said expanded condition, and above the same in said contracted condition of said reel means.

12. Reeling machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said operating means include a reversible motor, and an operating member driven by said motor and operatively connected with said reel means for moving the same between said contracted and expanded conditions; and switch means in the circuit of said motor including two switches respectively engaged and actuated by said operating member in said contracted and expanded conditions of said reel means to reverse said motor; and wherein said control means include another switch operated by said skein removing means in said operative position and connected in the circuit of said motor for starting the same in one direction of rotation for moving said reel means to said contracted condition when one of said switches is engaged by said operating member whereupon said operating member operates the other switch in said contracted condition whereby said motor moves said reel means to said expanded condition.

13. Reeling machine as claimed in claim 12 comprising means for adjusting the distance between said switches whereby the moments of reversal of said motor can be selected.

FOREIGN PATENTS 998,100 7/1965 Great Britain. References 1,042,578 9/1966 Great Britain. UNITED STATES PATENTS 7/1956 Penman 242 53 5 STANLEY N. GILREATH, Pnmary Exammer 12/1931 Drake 242-53 3/1951 Ruf 1 242 53 7/1956 Penman 242-53 2s 21;242-110.1 

